This invention relates to the topical and/or intravitreal ophthalmic use of mdivi-1 and nutlin-3, individually or in combination, when indicated for treatment of glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathies, hereditary optic neuropathies and retinal artery and vein occlusions.
Nutlin-3 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,617,346, 6,734,302, 6,916,833, 7,060,713, 7,425,638, 7,579,368, 7,625,895. The claims of the listed patents describe nutlin-3 inhibition of the interaction of MDM2 protein with a p53-like peptide and hence have anti proliferative activity. In this invention, nutlin-3 inhibit apoptosis by inhibiting Bax and Bak in the apoptosis pathway and produce neuroprotective effects rather than induce apoptosis as claimed in the previous patent disclosures.
mdivi-1 is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Application No. 20050038051 and 20080287473. The claims of the listed patents describe mdivi-1 regulation of apoptosis via regulating mitochondrial fission or fusion.
This patent claims nutlin-3 and mdivi-1 as an ophthalmic drug. In combination, these drugs block Bax/Bak and Drpl interaction on the mitochondria surface as a key step in the apoptotic pathway of various ophthalmic diseases including glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathy, hereditary optic neuropathy and retinal artery/vein occlusions.